Red, White & Liberal CD : How Left Is Right & Right Is Wrong

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Summary: A True Liberal
Review: A liberal is not a leftist. The DNC endorsed books are leftist. Alan Colmes does an excellent job of defining what it means to be a liberal. As a conservative, it's very refreshing to hear a solid, compassionate liberal voice. Unlike the other 'liberal' books out there, this one is truly liberal. Many reviewers claim that this book isn't liberal, but if thats the case you're looking for a leftist, not a liberal. Go read one of Al Franken or Michael Moore's books. Unlike them, Alan Colmes is able to understand and respect his opponent in a debate. He doesn't result to defamation. He doesn't hate George Bush, but he does attack Bush's policies. For that matter, George Bush doesn't hate him, having invited him to the White House christmas party. Once again, this is what it means to be a liberal, the others are leftists. Alan Colmes is able to define that.

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Summary: Not Your Typical "Liberal-Minded" Political Book
Review: Alan Colmes probably feels like Leon Trotsky on some days. It was Trotsky's fate, of course, to be laid low by an ice axe at the behest of the very revolution that he helped to spawn. But here he is (Alan, not Leon) with a very visible television gig, a daily radio program, and now a book. Yet liberals treat him like a redheaded stepchild! You'd think he was Joe Lieberman! Why is that? The answer, I think, is contained in his book RED, WHITE & LIBERAL.

Colmes seemed to spring out of nowhere onto Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes. He's been around for a while, however. His radio program dates back to the 1970s. On October 1, 1990 he came to be renowned as the first nationally syndicated liberal radio talk show host (he's not, but that's an argument for another time). His program in most markets immediately followed Rush Limbaugh, the thought apparently being that stations could stir up a little right-left interest. And in some cases it worked.

I used to listen to him every day, primarily for his "Radio Graffiti" feature. Listeners could call up and say one sentence over the air, then it was on to the next caller. It moved quickly and was on for about three minutes at the beginning and end of his program. It was fairly easy to get through --- Alan, alas, didn't have much of an audience --- so there were regulars who called in such as myself. There was also a really entertaining guy who called himself "The Alabama Dittohead" and who occasionally, though not always, made more sense in one sentence than Alan did in two hours. But in between Radio Graffiti, there was Alan, reliably liberal as he attempted to defend the indefensible Bill Clinton and a host of other causes du jour. It was on the strength of that program that Sean Hannity recommended Colmes to co-host the program now known as Hannity & Colmes. And, of course, he has a new radio program.

Colmes often comes across as Howdy Doody to Hannity's Buffalo Bob Smith, but that is merely because he is passionate in what he believes. You can tell when Colmes has had his buttons pushed because he bounces up and down in his chair. One of the cardinal sins of our current age is to look bad on television, and Colmes in the past has raised that to an art form. But he is doing better. True, the old Alan has been manifesting himself lately as he reminds everyone each night that he has written a new book. But that's almost endearing; it's actually kind of refreshing to see a media figure like Colmes being proud of something he did without a hint of faux modesty. So more power to him.

I want to assure you though that Colmes really frosts me. I spent as much time throwing RED, WHITE & LIBERAL across the room as I did reading it. It has more air miles at casa de Hartlaub than the Concorde. Some people accuse Alan of being a closet conservative but it's hard to read RED, WHITE & LIBERAL and still believe that. No, Colmes is still reliably liberal. Go down the checklist and he's right on the Left. Abortion, check! Gun confiscation, check! Increased taxes, check! Blame Bush for everything, check!

Sponge Al Frankenpants has taken Colmes to task --- confronted him, actually --- for not taking the fight to Hannity directly on the program they co-host. Such criticism misses the format of the program, wherein the co-hosts confront the guests, not each other (think Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff? and you'll get it). If Colmes has needed to establish his bona fides, however, RED, WHITE & LIBERAL does that. I mean, one chapter is entitled "Bill Clinton, Our Greatest President." Another is called "Jesus Was A Liberal." But you know what? As strongly as I would disagree with those statements, they are argued reasonably. Forcefully, but reasonably. Colmes occasionally distracts from his arguments by sprinkling the chapters with transcripts of e-mail he has received from disgruntled viewers, but for the most part he stays on track.

So why then is Colmes disliked by liberals? The answer, I believe, is ultimately contained in Chapter Eleven, entitled "Where Right Is Right." It's one of the shortest in the book, as one might expect (Colmes IS a liberal, after all, and the presence of the chapter in this book is remarkable in itself). But Colmes ultimately gets it. He is not part of the "blame America First" crowd, and I have a feeling that if one of the ne'er-do-wells who are fronting for A.N.S.W.E.R. came on his program he'd hand them their head as quickly as Hannity would. I mean, here is a guy --- a liberal --- who closes a chapter with a transcript of the lyrics of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." No wonder Franken takes off on him! Colmes doesn't hew to the party line!

Yes, RED, WHITE & LIBERAL infuriated me, but only because I disagreed so strongly with so much of it (except of course with Chapter Eleven). If you want to understand where that scatterbrained sister of yours (or her husband) is coming from, however, or if you're a liberal seeking to better articulate your worldview to your conservative friends, this (and it pains me, oh how it pains me to say this) is the book you should pick up.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

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Summary: Alan Colmes knows what he's talking about...
Review: And that's far more than I can say about most mainstream liberal authors. We have people like Al Franken and Michael Moore who make a mockery of their platform with ridiculous political smear and a horrible sense of humor.

Where Alan Colmes' Book really wins is in how he lays out his case and how he can actually make arguments with subtlety. He makes a good case, and though I may disagree with him, they're actually well argued with decency.

I would advise all liberals to read this book. Then again, they probably won't, because Colmes works for Fox News, the far left's worst enemy (a news station without a liberal bias? No way!)

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Summary: It's not just for liberals anymore
Review: One thing I have always admired about Alan Colmes' political views and the way in which he presents them is that he has the ability to compartmentalize an issue. I am not a liberal, nor a conservative thinker. As one of the other reviews mentions, this is a collection of Alan's ideas and arguments... agreed. But, with all of the Powells and O'Reillys of the world, isn't it nice to read a different perspective every now and then? I believe anyone interested in learning would enjoy reading this, regardless of political stance.

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Summary: All hail Alan "Mr. Toothless" Colmes!!!!
Review: Sometimes (usually when I can't find the remote), I find myself watching "Hannity and Colmes" on the Fox News Channel, and I feel sorry for poor Alan Colmes. He invariably finds himself interrupted and talked over by both Sean Hannity and whatever moron they happen to be interviewing. Then when they go to commercial, I can almost see the bile rising in Alan's throat when he says the Fox News Channel features "Real Journalism--Fair and Balanced!!!"

So when I saw his book for sale I bought it, thinking that this was his chance to finally speak his mind uninterrupted about his views. The result is one of the most milquetoast tomes I have ever waded through.

He, of course, tries to defend his network (and not very well)...if he didn't work for Fox News (and if his publishing company wasn't another Rupert Murdoch division), he actually might admit exactly how biased it truly is!!!

There is also an awful lot of empty space in the book, which makes me wonder if he really had that much to say. A lot of the book is taken up with excerpts from the show and emails that he has received over the years. Every time he uses emails or show clips, it's space that he didn't have to fill with his own words.

Also, I really didn't enjoy the "O.J. Is Innocent" chapter, simply because the O.J. Simpson trial was nearly ten years ago, and I didn't think anyone cared about it anymore.

So I would recommend that you wait for it to wind up on the clearance table. The wait shouldn't be too long, since I recently saw it for 75% off the cover price.